Knowledge and development of the biological resources are decisive factors in the future of Hungarian horticulture. This project aims to assess genetic diversity and self-(in)compatibility in two different Prunus species, apricot and almond. In addition, molecular analysis will be carried out to get information on the origin of Hungarian cultivars. An apricot and almond gene bank encompassing living trees and frozen materials of apricot (Turkish, Georgian, Iranian and Chinese genotypes) and almond (Hungarian, Western and Eastern European, Turkish cultivars and trees from abandoned orchards) will be established and extended. The project will provide a large amount of genetic diversity data and identification and characterization of new S-haplotypes in both species. Moreover, long suspected connection between Hungarian and Turkish apricots may be confirmed and other crop evolutionary aspects may also be clarified. Since all Hungarian almond cultivars are self-incompatible, an attempt will be made to get self-compatible almond, which would increase fruit set and yield safety. Based on our internationally recognized scientific performance, the success of the project is very likely. The project will contribute to the valorisation of old and new cultivars. It supports the education of university students and helps to acquire new instruments in a well performing research unit. Similarly to our previous activity, the results will be published in internationally recognized journals.

This project aimed to study the self-incompatibility and genetic variability of two important fruit species, apricot and almond. Accessions grown in Hungary and other regions were investigated and compared. Our results clarified that apricot shows the highest genetic and phenotypic variability in its putative gene centre in China, but it decreases steadily all along the dissemination routs of this species. However, the genetic variability of almond is in general practically unchanged. S-genotyping efforts confirmed that Turkish apricot germplasm contributed considerably in the development of several desirable Hungarian cultivars but no direct relationship could be detected among current Hungarian and Turkish cultivars. Results suggest that the mutation rendering apricot self-compatible might have occurred somewhere in south-east Turkey. We confirmed the Irano-Caucasian origin and self-compatible phenotype of North African apricots. We characterized an unknown allele for self-compatibility induced by a specific transposon. We have shown that founder effect, geographic isolation and modern breeding programs negatively affect genetic variability and proved that the emergence of self-compatibility has a crucial role in loss of genetic diversity. Our scientific achievements are equally important from both basic and applied aspects. The application of results has been started in several Hungarian and foreign breeding programs.